Field of the Invention
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for automatically 1) monitoring the skin in order to detect when tissue is at risk for developing pressure ulcers, and 2) when required, applying appropriate electrical stimulation to increase the resistance of compromised areas of tissue to the development of those ulcers. Specifically, parameters of tissue health including SpO2, Perfusion Index, PtcO2, and others, are monitored using existing non-invasive technology. Values of these parameters are then used, individually or in concert, for computation by a specialized control unit to determine the condition of monitored tissue and its susceptibility to the development of pressure ulcers. When susceptibility is above a threshold level, high voltage pulsed galvanic stimulation is applied noninvasively to stimulate appropriate nerve roots, altering physiologic state of the tissue, increasing levels of monitored parameters into the normal range, and thereby causing the tissue to be resistant to ulcer development. The device for accomplishing this objective is housed in a single unit and can be worn by the subject while in a bed or wheelchair.